News For The Obamaphate: John Cusack: 'Is Obama Just Another Ivy League Asshole?

Ouch, sounds like yet another love affair is over as John Cusack ponders whether Obama [is] Just Another Ivy League Asshole.

Note to John Cusack: Short answer: Yes; Long Answer: Yes.

Reading Cusack's comments I see that there's at least one Hollyweirder who actually can think for himself - and to my happy shock - quite incisively as well. 

My prayer is that whatever he caught, it is virulently contagious.

Well, Duh!!!!!! - French pessimism nears all-time high

Reuters is reporting French polling data that shows that France's love affair with Francois Hollande is over. 

The French are bleaker about their country's future than at any time since 2005, a new poll showed on Saturday, with 68 percent saying they are "rather" or "very" pessimistic, the highest level ever in the initial months of a new presidency.

The level of pessimism fell just short of an all-time high of 70 percent registered in August 2005, when the poll was created near the end of Jacques Chirac's government.

Hollande's government has been reeling from unemployment at a 13-year high and a rash of job cuts in recent weeks at top employers like carmaker Peugeot and retailer Carrefour. The government launched a plan this week to create 150,000 state-sponsored jobs for youth. 

 Read the rest HERE 

The only thing mystifying to this writer is how the French remain stubbornly oblivious to the obvious: Socialism can't work. Never has, never will. 

Note to French: There is but one single long road out of socialist hell for you. Dump the Euro, drastically curtail the powers of the European Union, eviscerate your antiquated bureaucracies and elect fiscally conservative Austrian School deputies. It might take a decade to see real results, but France will boom at the end of the process. Please excuse me for not holding my breath though.

Ethical Conundrum for the "Tolerance" Fascists: 17 Afghans beheaded in insurgent attack on party

So who are America's Tolerant Left to support?  

The 17 murdered Afghans slaughtered for DANCING in violation of an injunction issued by some Taliban Mullah or the right of strict shariah following Muslims to freely express their faith by murdering non-conformists?

Its all here:  17 Afghans beheaded in insurgent attack on party

I'm betting the lefties side with the Taliban....

News For The Obamaphate: Ouchhhh, this has GOTTA hurt...

The Washington Examiner is reporting new polling data that indicates that the Youth Vote will increase by 50% in 2012 over the 2008 figure. While the poll did not ask for whom the respondents intended to vote, it did ask what was motivating them. Anger over the economy, severely curtailed disposable income, piss poor job prospects seem to be the drivers in 2012. 

Poll: Angry with economy, youth vote to jump 50%

Barack, I suggest you start making those moving quote calls and look into nice all girl private schools for your wonderful daughters.

News For The Obamaphate: Wow, I never saw THIS coming!

Rasmussen Reports today reports that Linda McMahon, formerly of WWE fame, is now 3 percentage points ahead of Cong. Chris Murphy (D - Cong 5th Dist). Is sanity returning to Connecticut?

Click da Link:

Connecticut Senate: McMahon (R) 49%, Murphy (D) 46%

Oh, the Horror! The Horror....

Vietnamese budget airline VietJetAir fined for sexy dance promotion aboard maiden flight from Saigon to Nha Trang. Fine: 20 Million Dong ($956).

For the whole story, go to the BBC here.

KASPERSKY Trojan Alert - "Gauss", Son of "FLAME" is a state-sponsored banking spy trojan

Normally, I don't help companies advertise their services, and I'm certainly not pushing Kaspersky on anyone, but this story piqued my curiosity. For now Gauss is targeting account holders in the mid east, but how long will it be before the Obamaphate mandates we all infect our computers with I.R.S. drafted Gaussian code?

Kaspersky Lab Discovers ‘Gauss’ – A New Complex Cyber-Threat Designed to Monitor Online Banking Accounts

Woburn, MA – August 9, 2012 - Kaspersky Lab announces the discovery of ‘Gauss’, a new cyber-threat targeting users in the Middle East. Gauss is a complex, nation-state sponsored cyber-espionage toolkit designed to steal sensitive data, with a specific focus on browser passwords, online banking account credentials, cookies, and specific configurations of infected machines.
The online banking Trojan functionality found in Gauss is a unique characteristic that was not found in any previously known cyber-weapons.
Gauss was discovered during the course of the ongoing effort initiated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), following the discovery of Flame. The effort is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by cyber-weapons, which is a key component in achieving the overall objective of global cyber-peace.
ITU, with expertise provided by Kaspersky Lab, is taking important steps to strengthen global cyber-security by actively collaborating with all relevant stakeholders such as governments, the private sector, international organizations and civil society, in addition to its key partners within the ITU-IMPACT initiative.
Kaspersky Lab’s experts discovered Gauss by identifying commonalities the malicious program share with Flame. These include similar architectural platforms, module structures, code bases and means of communication with command & control (C&C) servers.
Quick facts:
●     Analysis indicates that Gauss began operations in the September 2011 timeframe.
●     It was first discovered in June 2012, resulting from the knowledge gained by the in-depth analysis and research conducted on the Flame malware.
●     This discovery was made possible due to strong resemblances and correlations between Flame and Gauss.
●     The Gauss C&C infrastructure was shutdown in July 2012 shortly after its discovery. Currently the malware is in a dormant state, waiting for its C&C servers to become active.
●     Since late May 2012, more than 2,500 infections were recorded by Kaspersky Lab’s cloud-based security system, with the estimated total number of victims of Gauss probably being in the tens of thousands. This number is lower compared to the case of Stuxnet but it’s significantly higher than the number of attacks in Flame and Duqu.
●     Gauss steals detailed information about infected PCs including browser history, cookies, passwords, and system configurations. It is also capable of stealing access credentials for various online banking systems and payment methods.
●     Analysis of Gauss shows it was designed to steal data from several Lebanese banks including the Bank of Beirut, EBLF, BlomBank, ByblosBank, FransaBank and Credit Libanais. In addition, it targets users of Citibank and PayPal.
The new malware was discovered by Kaspersky Lab’s experts in June 2012. Its main module was named by the unknown creators after the German mathematician Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss. Other components bear the names of famous mathematicians as well, including Joseph-Louis Lagrange and Kurt Gödel. The investigation revealed that the first incidents with Gauss date back as early as September 2011. In July 2012 the command and control servers of Gauss stopped functioning.
Multiple modules of Gauss serve the purpose of collecting information from browsers, which include the history of visited websites and passwords. Detailed data on the infected machine is also sent to the attackers, including specifics of network interfaces, the computer’s drives and BIOS information. The Gauss module is also capable of stealing data from the clients of several Lebanese banks including the Bank of Beirut, EBLF, BlomBank, ByblosBank, FransaBank and Credit Libanais. It also targets users of Citibank and PayPal.
Another key feature of Gauss is the ability to infect USB thumb drives, using the same LNK vulnerability that was previously used in Stuxnet and Flame. At the same time, the process of infecting USB sticks is more intelligent. Gauss is capable of “disinfecting” the drive under certain circumstances, and uses the removable media to store collected information in a hidden file. Another activity of the Trojan is the installation of a special font called Palida Narrow, and the purpose of this action is still unknown.
While Gauss is similar to Flame in design, the geography of infections is noticeably different. The highest number of computers hit by Flame was recorded in Iran, while the majority of Gauss victims were located in Lebanon. The number of infections is also different. Based on telemetry reported from the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN), Gauss infected approximately 2,500 machines. In comparison, Flame was significantly lower, infecting closer to 700 machines.
Although the exact method used to infect the computers is not yet known, it is clear that Gauss propagates in a different manner to Flame or Duqu; however, similar to the two previous cyber-espionage weapons, Gauss’ spreading mechanisms are conducted in a controlled fashion, which emphasize stealth and secrecy for the operation.
Alexander Gostev, Chief Security Expert, Kaspersky Lab, commented: “Gauss bears striking resemblances to Flame, such as its design and code base, which enabled us to discover the malicious program. Similar to Flame and Duqu, Gauss is a complex cyber-espionage toolkit, with its design emphasizing stealth and secrecy; however, its purpose was different to Flame or Duqu. Gauss targets multiple users in select countries to steal large amounts of data, with a specific focus on banking and financial information.”
At the present time, the Gauss Trojan is successfully detected, blocked and remediated by Kaspersky Lab’s products, classified as Trojan-Spy.Win32.Gauss.
The company’s experts have published in-depth analysis of the malware at Securelist.com: http://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792238/Gauss_Abnormal_Distribution

News from The Obamaphate: Mixed messages from the Deputy Dolt in Chief

Vice President Joe Biden identified with the struggles of ordinary American in an Iowa campaign speech today.

"The unemployed are really in trouble," Biden said in a campaign stop in Dubuque."My grandpop used to say — from Scranton — he said, Joey, the guy in Dunmore, the next town over, when the guy in Dunmore is out of work it's an economic slowdown. When your brother in law is out of work it's a recession. When you're out of work it's a depression. It's a depression for millions and millions of Americans."

Biden then launched into a critique of Mitt Romney's record and outsourcing, saying he believes that the American worker is part of the problem. Story here with video.

Ehrrrrr...  WTF????  Here I was thinking that the Obamaphate's central campaign theme is that we are in fact in a recovery - a slow one fer shure - but a recovery nevertheless. Biden is - once again - off the message reservation. It's almost as if Biden is really campaigning for Mittens.

News From The Obamaphate: Americans' wealth falls 40% in last three years.

The Washington Post is reporting that the Fed has announced a 40% decline in Americans' wealth...

"The net worth of the American family has fallen to its lowest level in two decades, according to government data released Monday, driven by a more than 40 percent drop in their stakes in their homes.

The Federal Reserve’s detailed survey of consumer finances showed families’ median wealth plunged from $126,400 in 2007 to $77,300 in 2010 — a 39 percent decline. That put them on par with median wealth in 1992."

For the whole story, click HERE

Well, BRAVO Barack, you've better than kept your promise to spread the wealth misery around and all of that inside of four years. OUTSTANDING!

As compensation for your herculean efforts, I'm just praying the country's voters give you similar numbers on November 6th.

Memorial Day Reminder - It Ain't about BBQ's!

I hate being a nag, especially on a point where I've personally been far less than perfect, but I saw this image this morning and felt compelled to post it here.

Please reflect on this.

Are Brett Kimberlin & Co. Far Left Cyber Terrorists?

I'm REALLY late to this story, but in solidarity with John Patrick Frey and R. Stacey McCain and others who've suffered in varying degrees from the despicable acts of Kimberlin and his Cohort I've decided I must blog this story too.

I've been watching the story unfold for a few days now - though I hadn't read deeply into it until this morning when I read Scott Greenfield's (Simple Justice) post on the subject. From Scott's supportive post, I hopped over to Patterico's Pontification (written by L.A. County Deputy District Attorney John Patrick Frey) to find the truly awful tale of woe that he and his wife have suffered at the hands of Kimberlin allies. 

"Despicable," "Evil", "Shocking," "Vicious," "Chilling" are all adjectives too weak to fully describe the nightmare Mr. Frey and his family have suffered and, as noted earlier, he is not alone in having experienced the effects of these terrorists' deeds. Their conduct is so egregiously bad that it could very easily have gotten Frey himself killed by police.... So, rather than prattle on here with far less eloquence than Pat, I send you directly to his page that lays out the whole story - and then some - on Brett Kimberlin, Ron Brynaert and Neal Rauhauser. 

WARNING!!!! It really does not make for a happy read, BUT it is a necessary read to fully understand the very sick minds that increasingly populate the "Progressive" left.

UPDATE I:

I neglected Aaron Worthing's encounters with Brett Kimberlin which are equally mind-boggling - albeit without the life threatening consequences Pat Frey's experience. Read Aaron's story here.

SUPERB Zero Hedge Guest Post: Judge Katherine Forrest Is A Modern American Hero

Tyler Durden has posted an excellent article at ZeroHedge on Judge Katherine Forrest 's decision last week striking §1021 of the National Defense Authorization Act.

Sometimes, the greatest deeds are done by those who are just doing their jobs, like Judge Katherine Forrest who last week struck down the indefinite detention provision (§1021) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

It would be all too easy in this age of ever-encroaching authoritarianism in America for a judge ruling on a matter like this to just go with the government line and throw water over the plaintiffs. After all, telling truth to power has consequences. Forrest was appointed by Obama, but after this ruling one wonders whether she is about to meet a career dead-end. Power — especially narcissistic power — does not like being told uncomfortable truths.
Everything about this case is shameful; it should be obvious to anyone who can read the Constitution that indefinite detention without trial (just like assassination without trial — something else that Obama and his goons have no problem practicing and defending) is hideously and cruelly unconstitutional. It defecates upon both the words and the spirit of the document.
It is directly and completely in contravention to the Fifth Amendment:

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

It is shameful that this law was proposed, it is shameful that any legislator would vote for it, and it is shameful that the President would sign it into law, albeit with a flimsy signing-statement claiming that he would not use the indefinite detention provision against American citizens.

Read the rest here at ZeroHedge.

Elizabeth Moon: "Barcode everyone at birth"

Here's what this demonic twit has to say:

“If I were empress of the Universe I would insist on every individual having a unique ID permanently attached - a barcode if you will; an implanted chip to provide an easy, fast inexpensive way to identify individuals.

It would be imprinted on everyone at birth. Point the scanner at someone and there it is.
Having such a unique barcode would have many advantages. In war soldiers could easily differentiate legitimate targets in a population from non combatants.

This could prevent mistakes in identity, mistakes that result in the deaths of innocent bystanders. Weapons systems would record the code of the use, identifying how fired which shot and leading to more accountability in the field.

Anonymity would be impossible as would mistaken identity making it easier to place responsibility accurately, not only in war but also in non-combat situations far from the war.”

Story here

Absolutely astonishing. I'm guessing she's just too damn stupid to understand that totalitarian governments with a penchant for genocide could - and likely would - use such a system to exterminate all opposition as well. Foul mental diarrhea from a statist Moonbat.

News from the Obamaphate: EVOLVE

Courtesy of brother "NRA." This post "evolved" from this one at F.W.I.W.

News for the Obamaphate: Most Unpopular Gov't in 15 Years

Politico has this story out

Poll: Gov't favorability at 15-year low

A decade ago, Americans felt similarly about their local, state and federal governments. No longer.

Today, just one in three has a favorable view of the federal government — the lowest level in 15 years, according to a Pew survey. The majority of Americans remain satisfied with their local and state governments — 61 percent and 52 percent, respectively — but only 33 percent feel likewise about the federal government.

I'm not sure Obama can fix this one by November 6th and it certainly doesn't bode at all well for his re-election prospects (not that that bothers me at all).

H/T Drudge

Lets do Karzai one better....

Seems Hamid Karzai wants Afghani forces to assume all security responsibilities in 2013 rather than 2014 and "the president [Karzai] also wants the United States to pull all its troops out of villages, where they have outposts, and relocate them in their bases." AFP via Yahoo

I say let's do him one better and get the HELL OUT NOW!


H/T Drudge

Timmy Geithner Club Fed Bound...?

The Classical Liberal has an entertaining piece up. Here's an excerpt:

Emails obtained by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) indicate that then-president of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, Timothy Geithner, instructed AIG to withhold key details from the public about backdoor deals made to buy out derivative trading partners of AIG at 100 cents on the dollar.

Naughty boy Timmy...

Read the rest here

R.I.P. Andrew Breitbart.

Breitbart.com has announced the sudden passing of Andrew Breitbart last night shortly after midnight. This is a sad loss to the movement of a very brave and selfless culture warrior. Andrew, you will be missed. Rest in Peace.

Michelle Malkin has more here

Ran's thoughts here  

Don at Conservative Hideout 2 here

Jeff Dunetz at Yid with Lid has a moving tribute to Andy here

Andrew Price at Commenterama, explains Andy's genius and goal here

......

And from the deranged OWS Lefties:

Note the vlogger's contorted face and his spasmodic gesticulations from 1:10 into the Vlog. Must be off his anti-psychotics.
Awww. Shucks! SKANK BOY took down his vid!

Birds of a Feather Mike Bloomberg?

NRA/ILA has a rundown of the list of MAIG members with less than stellar records:

Criminal Behavior by Members of “Mayors Against Illegal Guns”

Hey Liberals, Be Careful What You Ask For, You Might Just Get It...

It's a given that "progressives" have never encountered a regulation they don't love and want to implement immediately with of course this single exception: ANY law or regulation that might encumber the absolute "right" of a woman to terminate the life of a child she carries in her body, even to point of the barbaric procedure known as partial birth abortion.  See a description of this process below. WARNING: It ain't a pretty mental image

FDA’s New Claim: “Your Body Is a Drug—and We Have the Authority to Regulate It!”

In another outrageous power-grab, FDA says your own stem cells are drugs—and stem cell therapy is interstate commerce because it affects the bottom line of FDA-approved drugs in other states!

We wish this were a joke, but it’s the US Food and Drug Administration’s latest claim in its battle with a Colorado clinic over its Regenexx-SD™ procedure, a non-surgical treatment for people suffering from moderate to severe joint or bone pain using adult stem cells.

 The FDA asserts in a court document that it has the right to regulate the Centeno-Schultz Clinic for two reasons:

1. Stem cells are drugs and therefore fall within their jurisdiction. (The clinic argues that stem cell therapy is the practice of medicine and is therefore not within the FDA’s jurisdiction!)
2. The clinic is engaging in interstate commerce and is therefore subject to FDA regulation because any part of the machine or procedure that originates outside Colorado becomes interstate commerce once it enters the state. Moreover, interstate commerce is substantially affected because individuals traveling to Colorado to have the Regenexx procedure would “depress the market for out-of-state drugs that are approved by FDA.”

PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION PROCEDURE


From Wikipedia: Under the Intact D&X method, the largest part of the fetus (the head) is reduced in diameter to allow vaginal passage. According to the American Medical Association, this procedure has four main elements.^[3] Usually, preliminary procedures are performed over a period of two to three days, to gradually dilate the cervix using laminaria tents (sticks of seaweed which absorb fluid and swell). Sometimes drugs such as pitocin, a synthetic form of oxytocin, are used to induce labor. Once the cervix is sufficiently dilated, the doctor uses an ultrasound and forceps to grasp the fetus's leg. The fetus is turned to a breech position, if necessary, and the doctor pulls one or both legs out of the cervix, which some refer to as 'partial birth' of the fetus. The doctor subsequently extracts the rest of the fetus, leaving only the head still inside the uterus. An incision is made at the base of the skull, a blunt dissector (such as a Kelly clamp) is inserted into the incision and opened to widen the opening,^[4] and then a suction catheter is inserted into the opening. The brain is suctioned out, which causes the skull to collapse and allows the fetus to pass more easily through the cervix. The placenta is removed and the uterine wall is vacuum aspirated using a cannula.^[5]